The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-08-06
A Life that Told,

Thirty years ago the region about
the London Docks contained as large
a heather population as any district
In Africa. Back of the huge houses
were ''innumerable courts and alleys
filed with fog and dirt, and every
horror of sight sound and smell. 1t
was rendezvous for the lowest types
of humanity.
The wealthy and influential class in
this settlement were the rum-sellers
and keepers of gambling hells. Chill
dren were born and grew to middle
age in these precincts who never had
heard the name of Christ, except in
an oath. Thirty thousand souls were
included in one parish here, but the
clergyman never ventured out of the
church to teach.
A young man named Charles Low
der. belonging to an English family,
happened to pass through this dis
trict Just after leaving Oxford. His
classmates were going into politics,
or the army, or to the bar, full of
ambition and hope to make a name
in the world but Lowder heard, as
as he said, "a cry of mingled agony,
suffering laughter, and blasphemy
coming from these depths. that rang
in his ears. 90 where he would"
He resolved TO give up all other
work in the world to help these peo-
pie,
He took a house in one of the low
est slums and lived in it,
at is only one of themselves that
they will hear, not patronizing visi-
tors" he said.
He preached every day in the
streets, and for months was pelted
with brickbats, shot at, and driven
back with curses. He had, unfortun-
ately, no eloquence with which to
reach them: he was a slow stammer-
ing speaker, but he was bold. patient
duu GdLuSoGs ACaL elluCl SCelA hO llbCu
among them. Even the worst ruff
fan learned to respect the tall, thin
curate, whom he saw stopping the
worst street fights, facing mobs, or
nursing the victims of Asiatic chol-
era
Mr.. Lowder lived in London
Docks for twenty-three years. Night
schools were opened, industrial
schools and refugees for drunkards,
discharged prisoners and fallen wo-
men. A large church was built and
several mission chapels.
His chief assistants in this work
were the men and women whom he
had rescued ''from the paths that
abut on hell" A visitor to the church
said, "The congregation differs from
others in that they are all in such
deadly earnest"
Mr.. Lowder broke down under his
work, and rapidly grew into an old
careworn man. He died in a village
in the Tyrol, whittier he had gone for
a months rest. He was brought
back to the Docks where he had
worked so long.
Across the bridge where he had
once been chased by furious mob,
bent on his murder, his body was
reverently carried, while the police
were obliged to keep back the crowds
of sobbing people who pressed for
ward to catch the last glimpse of
"Father Lowder," as they called
him.
"No such funeral" says London
paper, "has ever been seen in Eng
land. The whole population oil East
London turned out, stopping work
for that day. The special trains run
to Chislehurst were filled, and thous-
ands followed on foot-miserable
men and women whom he had lifted
up from barbarism TO life and hope"
There are many careers open to
young men on entering the world,
but there are none nobler or lead
more direct to heaven than of this
modern crusader COMPANION.